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[Video]: Amazing Healing Arts To Be Learned From The Native Americans

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Modern medicine has taken many strides in society with the growth of technology. New pharmaceuticals and cures are frequently discovered and the pharmaceutical industry is making a fortune from the American wallet; $5.2 Billion annually to be exact.

There aren't many households in this nation that don't have at least one form of medication in their house. But, as much success these companies are making off of medications, there are risks associated with the purchase of any medication.

A day never passes without an advertisement playing about a new medication hitting the market. And, most of us are familiar with the long disclaimer lists of side effects announced quickly at the end of each commercial. These side effects range from minor effects of migraines, upset stomach, and dry mouth, to more severe effects such as seizures, psychosis, and even death.

In the past, people relied on natural forms of healing to aid in curing aches, pains, and illness. Native Americans were, and still are, a large group of individuals we can learn a great deal from.

The following article and video show us the healing arts performed by Native Americans:

Herbal Remedies before Medicine

Native Americans knew how to utilize the natural products around them to heal wounds, treat illnesses and remain healthy and it wasn’t hocus pocus. As a matter of fact, one Incan practice gave way to modern pharmacology. They standardly used Peruvian Bark, aka quinine, to treat cramps, chills, digestive issues and heart disorders, just to name a few.

Native Americans used herbs for everything from disease and injury treatment to flavoring foods. We recommend picking up a book on herbal remedies because in many cases, they’re successful. If you don’t have access to medications, herbs are going to be what you need to know about.

Stay Natural

Native Americans used only what they had available to them for healing, but that wasn’t a bad thing. When the first settlers arrived, they were surprised to see that many illnesses that they considered fatal were being effectively treated with herbal remedies. Of course, Native Americans weren’t immune to Western diseases and a few, such as smallpox, was devastating to their population.

Nutrition for Healing

Because the body is sacred, Native Americans were extremely conscious of what they put into it. Of course, refined sugars and processed foods weren’t an option, but there were still dietary issues that could have arisen if they were simply gluttons. Whole foods, including fruits, vegetables and lean meats, were the total sum of the Native American diet. Of course, that includes roots and herbs, too.

Food Preservation without Electricity or Refrigeration

This was a major skill that would be extremely useful in a survival situation. Nothing was wasted if it could be helped because that animal gave up his life for the meal, and it would be disrespectful to that sacrifice to waste the meat.

Also, winters were tough and letting meat go bad would have been extremely wasteful when the dead of the season arrived and you were out of meat.

To preserve food, several methods were used.

Drying meat and produce was probably the biggest method of preserving meats, vegetables and fruits. One huge benefit of drying food is that it’s extremely lightweight but still delicious and packed with nutrients.

Smoking many foods, including meat and fish preserves it well, too. This process can take anywhere from a few hours to several days. Smoking also adds a pleasant taste and is traditionally done in a smokehouse, where the meat is hung and fires are built. The meat is then left in there for the required amount of time.

Salt Curing – This method is exactly what it sounds like – you use salt to draw the moisture out of the meat so that it doesn’t spoil.

Pickling – We’ve all had that deliciously crunchy pickled cucumber that makes any sandwich better. Pickling is done by putting salt and flavoring spices in with water. It kills bacteria and other nasties. Typically, there’s heat involved, which is another part of the process that kills viruses and bacteria that could make you sick.

The Native Americans had the whole healing thing down; they knew what herbs, roots or plants to use for whatever ailed you and they knew how to prevent disease by the methods that we’ve discussed. If you have anything that you’d like to add, please feel free to do so in the comments section below.

Much of the healing practices by Native Americans are still in use today. More people are looking further into these healing arts and transitioning from modern day medicine to natural forms. Native Americans know really well how to live well off the land. Being a survivalist might involve having to live off the land. And, knowing what natural remedies are surrounding you that have healing properties can really benefit you and your survival skill. Using a more practical approach to healing might just be the cure for all our ailments.